Kalahari

Gr 9 Up—Having grown up traveling the world with her zoologist parents, Sarah doesn't have many friends that are human, let alone her own age. Now her mom is dead and it's just Sarah, her father, and their research assistant Theo camped in the middle of the Kalahari. Enter Avani, Joey, Sam, Miranda, and Kase, five teenagers signed up for an educational safari led by the teen's father. But when he and Theo leave the others on the first night in pursuit of dangerous poachers and never return, Sarah is left to keep herself and the visitors safe while simultaneously searching the desert for her dad and Theo. It doesn't take long for the group to discover that they are dealing with something far bigger than poachers as they come across a silver lion and a murdered Theo. They become the prey after they discover a top-secret laboratory that has unleashed a deadly virus. Can they find Sarah's father and the cure? Can they survive the desert climate and evade capture by the evil corporation? Khoury's latest novel is enthralling and filled with suspense, taking readers on a roller-coaster ride. Some parts of the story such as Sarah's romance with Sam seems contrived and the narrow escapes are often unbelievable. Still, this story is a entertaining and will capture teens' attention.—Betsy Davison, Cortland Free Library, NY